In a significant breakthrough, the Commissionerate Police have cracked an interstate burglary gang responsible for high-value thefts in Odisha, Delhi, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, and Bihar. The gang, known for targeting upscale residential areas, has been linked to a series of coordinated heists.
Khurshid Khan (48) of Faridabad, Haryana, and Mohammad Arif (28) of Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh, were arrested in Delhi and brought to Bhubaneswar for interrogation. Their operations involved daytime burglaries, especially in multi-storied buildings, followed by swift escapes using rail or air routes.
The duo’s first known heist in Odisha occurred on July 21, when 230 grams of gold ornaments were stolen from government quarters in Sahidnagar Unit-9 while the house was unoccupied. Prompt use of CCTV surveillance helped track their movements, leading to their arrest through a joint operation with Delhi Police.
Commissioner S. Devdutta Singh described the duo’s movements as similar to “spiders weaving webs across India.” They often stayed near railway stations or low-profile hotels and conducted detailed surveillance before each theft. Post-heist, the stolen gold was melted and sold in scattered locations to destroy the trail.
Police recovered Rs 18 lakh, allegedly linked to the sale of looted ornaments. The accused are being charged under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including Sections 331(3) and 305(A).
Initial findings suggest they operated in tight two-member cells, avoiding the need for larger teams that could raise suspicion. Authorities plan to seek custodial remand for deeper interrogation and to explore links to unsolved burglaries in other states.
